Better Futures

Imperial Consultants and the Grantham Institute are continuing to support the Mayor of London’s Better Futures programme and provide clean, green businesses across London with access to the plethora of expertise at Imperial College London.

Thanks to the programme’s Innovation vouchers, we can help those organisations whose technologies, goods or services reduce negative impacts on the environment. We can help define the scientific or technical support they need to take their ideas to the next level, and provide the advice and practical solutions to make it happen. What’s more, this year, Imperial’s Grantham Institute is also providing access to outstanding student talent through internships.

Now in its 4th year, Better Futures has already helped more than 150 businesses create hundreds of green-collar jobs in the low-carbon and circular industries in London – with Imperial’s support ranging from defining new processes and technology development plans – to advice on equipment optimisation and regulations.

About Better Futures

The programme is a £4.2m business support project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, that’s led by the GLA and involves the following delivery partners…

• Sustainable Ventures – main delivery partner – commercialisation experts help businesses prepare for growth through product development, strategic planning and investment readiness.
• The Old Oak Park Royal Development Corporation – strategic support and developing links to OPDC businesses and potential space
• Imperial College London – strategic support and technology verification and internships
• Imperial Consultants – administer the innovation vouchers and help Imperial’s academics scope and deliver projects
• West London Business – the UN SDGs aligned business leadership forum

Late last year, the programme received a £900,000 funding boost as part of the Mayor’s Green New Deal, which aims to support 1,000 green jobs to boost London’s economic recovery from COVID-19 and nurture some of the most exciting new green businesses in the capital. This new funding now means that Better Futures can offer additional support by:

• Increasing programme participation by an additional 60-80 businesses over the next year.
• Providing small grants to low carbon, circular economy SMEs that have been hit hard by the economic impact of COVID-19.
• Providing additional support and mentoring to the 150 low-carbon businesses that have already benefited from the Better Futures Programme.
• Expanding the availability of paid internships to hard to reach and diverse groups across the capital, including college students.
• Prioritising support for low carbon businesses led by women and members of the BAME community

LSDC Commissioner Professor Richard Templer, who is also the Hofmann Professor and Director of Innovation at Imperial College London’s Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, said the additional funding was great news for London’s low carbon business community.

He said: “Low carbon, cleantech and circular businesses are the future of London’s growth so it’s vital that they can access as much high quality support as possible when they are at the start of their commercial life.

“Supporting businesses that will help tackle climate change, air pollution and create jobs in a post-COVID world is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it is essential. If you think your business would benefit from grants, world-leading academic input and funding support please do apply.”

Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor, Environment and Energy, said:

“Better Futures provides direct support to businesses that are driving the Mayor of London’s Green New Deal. This investment will help entrepreneurs and innovators who will create green jobs, tackle the climate emergency and address inequalities across London. We are proud to support Better Futures and look forward to seeing these companies flourish in the coming years as we rebuild our economy and society post-COVID so that it is cleaner, greener and fairer.”

By growing London’s cleantech sector, Better Futures contributes to the Mayoral mandate of achieving zero carbon emissions for London by 2050.

Read the press release from GLA and Better Futures.

Sign up for Better Futures

Click to join the programme and if you’re selected, you’ll get the opportunity to work with specialist Innovation Advisers to help develop your business and benefit from a range of support including…

• Investment readiness and growth support with innovation advisers
• Access to new supply chains and markets, including new international markets
• Innovation vouchers for academic collaboration projects
• Paid short term internships
• Marketing support
• Innovation and commercialisation of research & development
• Process improvement, quality assurance and technology verification
• Product development
• Management / Leadership support
• Understanding organisational corporate and social responsibility
• Public and Private funding support
• Resource efficiency
• Intellectual Property support
• Event, workshops and masterclasses
• Access to co-working space

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